Every year, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) compiles a report analyzing pesticide residue monitoring data for foods on the European market. The most recent report covering data from 2022 shows that the assessed risk to EU consumer health from pesticides in foods is low.
Based on 110,829 food samples collected and tested in the EU during 2022—an unprecedented number—96.3 percent of samples fell maximum residue levels (MRLs) for pesticide residues. Of these 110,829 samples, 3.7 percent exceeded MRLs, of which 2.2 percent were deemed noncompliant (i.e., results in a given sample exceeded MRLs after taking into account the measurement uncertainty).